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When bad things happen to good Mighty Mice
Benjamin Fourmond, a fearless modder describes converting his eBay Mighty Mouse into a more vintage look on his website. He opened up his mouse, extracted the inner electronics and, with a few modifications to the vintage housing, managed to insert it into an old ADB style mouse. Fortunately for his sake, the internal electronic boards were approximately the same size, although he did need to drill into the housing to allow access to the new scroll ball. In the end, with the help of an ADB to USB connector, he made the Frankenmouse work.
OCD Spotlight: Flossing your Mighty Mouse
Recently, TUAW discussed how to clean your apple keyboard. Today, we focus on delinting your Mighty Mouse. Without taking it apart. Brendan Fenn, photographer and clean aficionado, has discovered a new way to clean the Mighty Mouse scroll ball that goes beyond the conventional dust free cloth and rubbing alcohol methods. He's figured out that a very thin strip of scotch tape, carefully looped under the scroll ball provides effective mouse ball rehabilitation when more traditional techniques do not work. Complete instructions and pictures are available at his site.
Unsanity updates ShapeShifter and Mighty Mouse
I know there are some serious haxie haters out there, but for those who heart haxies, you'll be happy to know that Unsanity recently updated 2 of their most popular apps, ShapeShifter and Mighty Mouse. Both are now Universal Binary and sport a few bug fixes and new features.ShapeShifter is a very cool "GUI tweaker" that enables you to change virtually everything about the appearance of OS X with various themes (of which there are a great many to choose from). Version 2.4 adds support for windows with a "Unified" toolbar, and includes several bug fixes and speed improvements. ShapeShifter now requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later.Mighty Mouse is for customizing your cursor - all your cursors - on the fly and with ease. The interface is drag & drop and copy & paste. Doesn't get much easier than that. You can add animations, change cursor sizes and even create your own custom cursors. Version 1.3 requires Mac OS X 10.3 or later and includes a more streamlined interface and a handful of bug fixes.More detailed info about each can be found on Unsanity's blog.
TUAW Poll: What keyboard and mouse do you use?
I've had keyboards and mice on my mind for the last few days so I thought I'd see what you all are using. To get the poll rolling I asked a few of my colleagues here at TUAW HQ to chime in, too.David Chartier: iMac - Apple Pro Keyboard with a Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer 4.0. Most comfortable.mouse.ever. Sometimes I whip out the Mighty Mouse for multimedia/time-based work though. MacBook - built in keyboard and usually the touchpad, though I bring along the Mighty Mouse from my iMac mainly because it packs in a bag easily.Alex Wollenschlaeger:I use the keyboard on my 12" PowerBook (one of the main reasons I got another PowerBook over a MacBook) and a Microsoft optical mouse. I've used other mice in the past and I've always come back to Microsoft ones. They just feel right. I carry it around with me everywhere because I don't like trackpads too much. Though the new scrolling feature goes a long way to rectifying that.Scott McNulty: I use the built-in in stuff on my MacBook. On my iMac I have Apple's included keyboard and a Logitech S 530 Laser mouse.Dan Lurie:When I'm not out and about with my PowerBook, it sits on an iCurve at my desk and I use the standard white Apple keyboard and Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer (which I love, but I need to get in a wireless version). I'm actually in the market for a new keyboard due some wrist pain I've been having, so I've been looking at the GoldTouch Mac from KeyOvation.As for me? On my home and office desktops I use the Matias OS X keyboard. The symbols are great for me since I always forget where they are. The extra control key and the caps-lock key being out of my way is a blessing and I really love the action on it. I'm a big fan of tactile keys - and this one is quieter than a typical tactile keyboard, which makes hubby happy, but it's still "clicky" enough to make me happy. My mouse is a 5-button, rockin' tilt-scroll Microsoft Wireless Intellimouse Explorer, which I would be lost without. When I'm on the PowerBook I generally stick with the built-in keyboard and trackpad since I'm typically on-the-go and it's just easier that way.Hmmm... 4 out of 5 bloggers agree that what Microsoft lacks in the OS department they make up for with their mice, which rule. We don't agree on much around here so that's about as resounding of an endorsement as you're going to get from us.Now it's your turn -- What mouse and keyboard are you using with your Mac(s) these days?
Why Apple's Mighty Mouse is like the Apple III
If you're old enough to remember the fiasco that was the Apple III, you may know what I'm talking about. The Apple III was supposed to be Apple's business computer. It flopped, in part because Steve Jobs demanded no fans were to be used in cooling the beast. The result? The machine would overheat, loosen the solder used to hold chips in place, and the machines became legendary for their craptacular performance. The fix by Apple was to hold the machine a few inches off the table, and let it go, making gravity jam those chips back into place. Nice huh?Well Apple's done it again with the so-called "Mighty" mouse. Their 3 or 4-button wonder is great, as long as you don't get hooked on using the little scrollball. Never mind the fact that you can't move in X and Y directions at the same time (as you can using 2-finger trackpad scrolling)-- the trackball is a piece of junk. I mean, the build quality is nice (just like those Apple III's had heavy-duty aluminum chassis), but after about a month of frequent use, the thing gets jammed with gunk, making it largely unusable. And yes, I wash my hands regularly...Apple's fix? Here's the parallel to Apple III: the fix sucks. You can't remove the ball, so you really never can get inside the mouse to properly clean it out. Apple's own KB on cleaning the Mighty mouse says, "hold the mouse upside-down and roll the ball vigorously while cleaning it to help dislodge any particles that may have collected on the internal hardware." You know, I'm getting tired of doing this every week, just to use a mouse. Apple's innovation is legendary, but sadly, they have lately been innovating new annoyances. From 3rd-gen iPod batteries, to breaking iTunes 7 to locking up the Finder, Apple's having a run of small but glaring mistakes in their otherwise newly-untarnished reputation. Or maybe I expect too much in the age of commoditized computing?
Who needs a Mighty Mouse? Hold shift for horizontal scrolling
John Gruber linked the blog of Mike Rohde, a visual designer who discovered a slick scrolling trick built into Mac OS X: with a standard scrolling mouse, you can hold the shift key in most apps to scroll horizontally. Mike cites his day job apps like Photoshop and Illustrator, but this seems to work in NetNewsWire, Firefox and iTunes as well. I'm not sure if this is a 10.4 Tiger-only thing (anyone care to share?), but it's a handy little trick for those who aren't exactly enamored with the Mighty Mouse.
MacMice busts out laser-powered Danger Mouse
If that Mighty Mouse of Apple's isn't fulfilling your need for classic cartoon references or laz0r-based accuracy, the new Danger Mouse from MacMice might do the trick -- plus it tosses in a nice, fresh pop cultural reference to boot. The Danger Mouse sticks close to Apple design cues, but splits its shell in the front to make concession to a traditional right click function. MacMice also tossed in a MicroScroll wheel to ape Apple's scroll ball (in 1 dimension at least), and a 1600 DPI laser sensor for tracking with the best of 'em. So yeah, MacMice isn't exactly breaking new ground here with their stylings, but with the homogeneous tastes of the general Mac populace, would that make them Crazy?[Via The Gadget Weblog]
Hack your Bluetooth Mighty Mouse to use less power
Riddle me this: what uses more power when it is stationary as opposed to when it is in use? Apple's new wireless Mighty Mouse. Ram Sripracha noticed that the Mighty Mouse features a LED which provides the user with some feedback. When the mouse isn't paired with a computer the LED flashes, a fairly standard Bluetooth peripheral convention. It gets a little more interesting when the Mighty Mouse is paired with a machine, the LED stays on when the Mighty Mouse isn't being moved but turns off once you move it.Multimeter in hand, Ram figured out that the mouse was drawing more power when it was stationary and less when it was in use. So hee did what any good hacker would do: disabled the LED to save power and posted instructions on how to do it for the rest of us.I am certain this voids your warranty so crack open your Mighty Mouse at your own risk.[via Hack A Day]
Apple's Bluetooth Mighty Mouse reviewed
So we're sure there's a select few who have managed to resist the temptation to cut the cord and pick up Apple's newest Mighty Mouse, and unless you simply wouldn't feel whole without having it in your collection, you should probably stick with your current rodent. The Unofficial Apple Weblog tried their best to give an unbiased account on the long-overdue device, and while they appreciated the improved accuracy over typical Bluetooth mice (probably due to its laser), it was pretty much downhill from there. We can't say we're surprised that complaints stemmed from the (still) unergonomic design and the difficulty it presented in mousing to tiny targets. Although it performed well over a myriad of surfaces, TUAW thought it still couldn't provide the precision that USB critters can, and offers up no substantial features (aside from Bluetooth) to justify the hefty $70 price tag -- though they still liked it. Besides the fact that this is the same 'ole Mighty Mouse minus a tail, it would appear to these jaded eyes Apple just hasn't provided a compelling reason to ditch your current pet in favor of one with no strings attached.
Unboxing the new Mighty Mouse
While we're certainly not rushing out to snatch up Apple's new Wireless Mighty Mouse, the heavy response to this Bluetooth-equipped rodent makes us think that a lot of you Macheads out there are eager to learn more before laying down your $70. With that in mind, we figured a full gallery of unboxing photos would be just the cure for your Mighty Mouse jones. Keep on reading for a few more pics -- including a comparative shot with the wired version (spoiler: they look exactly alike, save for the "tail") -- and then hit up the Read link to check out the entire set...
Bluetooth Mighty Mouse already available
Well now we know why Apple "forgot" to file for ye olde confidentiality agreement on the Bluetooth Mighty Mouse FCC filing: they were planning on releasing the wireless rodent into the wild just hours after the documents went live. That's right, if you're looking to cut the cord and add some sweet laser-guided precision to your first-gen Mighty Mouse, you can pick up one of these models immediately for $69 (compared to $49 for the wired version). About the only new bit of information revealed on the official product page is the fact that this mouse will operate with either two or just one AA batteries -- you know, for those times when you're looking to shave every conceivable gram off of your travel weight. As much as we love Apple products, the Mighty Mouse has just never been all that comfortable to use; Bluetooth and laser-tracking are certainly nice additions, but until they make these things more ergonomic, we're holding on to our Logitech gear.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Mighty Mouse becomes bluetooth and laser based
Just as everyone expected, Apple has released a Bluetooth version of the Mighty Mouse, bringing wireless capabilities to the peripheral for the first time. Like the recent FCC filing leak suggested, the device is powered by AA batteries, but according to the tech specs on Apple's site the new wireless mouse can be powered by just one battery, although there is room for a second. Another tidbit about the new mouse is that the tracking is based around a laser, not the optical method used by the wired version. That should mean greater accuracy. Everything else about the wireless Mighty Mouse seems to be identical (are the side "buttons" an off-white color in the regular Mighty Mouse?) to the wired version.The new wireless laser Mighty Mouse comes in at $69.99, so it's up to you whether you think the wireless and laser capabilities are worth the $20 premium over the regular wired version.Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Bluetooth Mighty Mouse coming to a Mac near you
Ahh, thank goodness for the FCC. You see, one must get approval from the FCC before releasing anything with wireless technology in it, such as... oh let's say a Bluetooth Mighty Mouse. Pictured above you see a prototype for a cordless, Bluetooth Might Mouse from everyone's favorite Cupertino computer company.The manual makes note that the M6 (that's its super secret code name) ships with 2 non-rechargeable AA batteries. Other than that there aren't any new features to write home about.[via Engadget]Thanks, GadgetGav.
Apple's Mighty Mouse finally gets Bluetooth
Looks like Apple forgot to file for ye olde confidentiality agreement, but today an FCC filing showed off Apple's latest device: the Mighty Mouse with Bluetooth. If anyone's surprised, well, that'd be pretty silly of you being that a wireless / Bluetooth Mighty Mouse is what's been asked for of Apple since day one of the peripheral's release. So, who's got odds that they'll finally freaking fix those pitiful squeeze triggers on the side? By the way, for those not interested in poring over the manual, expect the "M6" (the device's listed codename) to be powered by AA cells -- not by an internal rechargeable battery (i.e. don't expect a little dock or USB plug, bucko).P.S. -Yes, as pointed out, it would also appear this Mighty Mouse is a laser driven device, for increased optical precision. But c'mon, you know it's really the Bluetooth that's got you paying down your credit card.
How to Clean Your Mighty Mouse
Apple has released an updated technical support document on the proper way to clean your Mighty Mouse. As much as I like my Mighty Mouse, I do have to clean it way more often than I ever had to clean my other mice like the basic two-button/scrollwheel Logictech one that I've been using for years. The most annoying problem with the Mighty Mouse is that it seems to very rapidly pick up dirt, grease, and other undesirable crud from my mousing surface. I clean my desk at least once a week with alcohol wipes and elbow grease, so it's not overly dirty.I agree with Apple's document that the lint-free cloth is a good way to get fingerprints off your mouse. Sometimes I'll just use paper towels and some iKlear display cleaner which seems to do a pretty good job of cutting through the crud. I've also, on many occasions, had to "vigorously rub" the scrollwheel nub while holding the mouse upside down to dislodge something that's causing the scrolling to not work properly.Apple's even posted a video tutorial on how to clean your Mighty Mouse.
ADB Mighty Mouse
This is great. The industrious folks at bounav.free.fr have come up with a pretty cool mod. Specifically, they've put the guts of an Apple Mighty Mouse into the case of an old Apple ADB mouse, resulting in the ADB Mighty Mouse. The left click and right click functionality are both intact, as is the scroll ball (though it's now located on the mouse's side). The "squeeze click" was sacrificed, but who cares? That is one cool mod.
Your mighty mice!
Yesterday, we linked to an image that showed up on Flickr that seemed to be the red, glowing visage of a mouse as generated by the light on the underside of an Apple Mighty Mouse. Whether or not Apple intended for their mice to put on this little display is really irrelevant, as it's just fun to show people ("Hey, want to see my mouse's mouse?"). A number of you sent in pictures of your own mice generating the little guy (apparently it works with the older Apple Pro Mice, too). Thanks to Zach, Jason, Jonathan and Gary. We're happy to receive more, so feel free to link to an image of your own mouse's...um...inner mouse.**Kids, do not say "mouse" this many times at home. I am a professional.
Does the Mighty Mouse LED project a mouse?
This one is a bit weird, so bear with us. It seems that Flickr user Dan Bowels noticed that the light on the underside of his Mighty Mouse produces what (kind of) looks like a mouse's head on the surface of his desk. Has he stumbled upon an ultra-rare hardware easter egg, or is this just an optical illusion? You decide. We're a little more than skeptical, but if you can replicate the image of the little red mouse face with your own Mighty Mouse, we'd love to see it.[Via Infinite Loop]
Inside Apple's Mighty Mouse
It always amazes me when I see these dissections. Someone plunks down a neat stack of their own, hard-earned cash for a brand new Apple product that they know will be dissembled the instant they get it home. Of course, I'm always happy enough to look. The urge to "see how it works" has been with me since I was a kid taking radios apart (sorry, dad), and I'm sure it is responsible for my working in IT today.Anyway, Apple Matters looks at Daniel Kushner's examination of the little device's innards, which he describes as the complexity of making something work simply. The gallery is not for the timid (words like "cadaver," "guts" and "tongue" are brandied about), so be forewarned.
SteerMouse driver for Mighty Mouse
Gee, that didn't take long! A mere 10 days after Apple released their new Mighty Mouse, Plentycom Systems has released a driver that adds a bunch of functions that Apple neglected to include in their own driver.SteerMouse allows you to assign and customize various functions to the Mighty Mouse's "buttons", such as speed, cursor acceleration, shortcut keys, scrolling, double-click, right-click and "snap to" cursor movement, which moves the cursor to whatever dialog button is active (like "ok."). It works with other USB mice as well, with support for horizontal scrolling and up to 8 buttons! You'll need Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later (with plans to support Intel Macs in the future) to install it and it requires you to uninstall any third-party mouse drivers you may already be using. Apple's mouse driver does not need to be uninstalled, however. SteerMouse will cost you $20, which sounds steep for a mouse driver. Then again, USB Overdrive is also $20 and it doesn't yet support the Mighty Mouse, so this one may be worth a try. There's a 30 day trial before you have to register it. What I really want to know, though, is how it got to be at version 2.0 already?Take it for a spin and let us know how you like it.
